Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3776, Israel Freeman, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Freeman, Israel
P. 3776
CONTENTS

57.16.
P. 277.
Feb 26 55
W. C.

16.249.
BRIEF in the case of  Israel Freeman  County of Otsego  in the State of  New York  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 89.  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Minute Man; In 1775 — — 1 — Private Gen. Capt. E. Barnes —   1776 Summer — 1 — " Capt. Mc. Freeman —   Many other times as a Minute Man. } 1776 "more than 1." — — Teamster. —   His whole service amounting to considerably more than two years. Private —  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Woodbridge, Ch. S.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? They are not connected with the Seal. 
X  Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. Waugh Examining Clerk. Feb. 23. 1833.

Innoc Freeman
W Brown atty
10249 v

Otsego Common Pleas Of October Term 1882
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1882
State of New York
Otsego County
on this 15 th day of October 1882
personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Otsego being a Court of record now sitting Isreal Freeman a resident of the Town of Richfield in the County & State aforesaid aged 89 years next April who being first duly sworn according to law, deposes on his oath, makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1882. That he entered the Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War & served or herein after shall serve

Israel Freeman, (born) Woodbridge in the state of New Jersey on the 22 nd day of April, 1744, when he resided till after the Revolutionary war, In the year 1775 but at what time in the year he cannot re- collect the militia company to which he belonged com- manded by Capt Ellis Barrus was ordered to Pauls Hook, where he was stationed for one month, At this time the British men of war Asia & Felix were near our coast and the object of this service was to prevent any depredations their crews might attempt to commit upon the shore and to prevent any traffic between them and the inhabitants. During the term he was here stationed the Asia fired upon the battery at New York, which was said to be the first belligerent attack upon the city, Whilst stationed at this place the Asia fired two broadsides at the troops then stationed, the troops retreated under cover of a hill and the fire did no execution,
In 1776 and early in the summer of that year the Brit- ish troops landed upon Staten Island immediately after their landing he was ordered out with the militia to guard the shore from the mouth of the Rahway river to the mouth of the Raritan, Capt Barrus being disappointed refused to go and the command of the company devol- ved on Capt Matthew Freeman, He was out on this tour of service one month, The militia at this time were Clapped, The Claps were numbered 1. 2. 3. 4, and the several Claps, each in turn were ordered to guard the shore, He belonged to Clap number 1. A guard was constantly kept on the shore during the whole period of the war and he served as often as his turn came throughout the war, Every fourth month he was (with very few exceptions when relief could be obtained) regularly called upon and as regularly served his turn, Capt Freemans command continued to the end of the war and his service was all under him, At this distance of time he cannot specify the par- ticular months he served or detail with accuracy the particulars of his service, He was so often called into this service and out upon alarms that during nearly all the war he was unable to attend to scarcely any other business, It was with extreme difficulty he could get time to provide

for his family who suffered many privations on that account, Woodbridge the place of his residence during the revolution is situated in Middlesex County in New Jersey a distance of between three and four miles from Perth Amboy. The exposed situation of the whole country about the place rendered it more like a Camp than a place of peaceful habitation. To detail all his services would be to give a diary of the whole revolution. In 1776 when General Washington was retreating from New York with the main army to Pennsylvania he was  ordered by order of Col. Biddle he was with his team impress to assist in conveying the sick from Brunswick to Trenton. The badness of the roads and the tediousness of this service cannot be described he was detained and absent from his home more than a month at this time. When he returned home he found the place in possession of the enemy. The winter following this pursuant to a proclamation issued by General Washington directing the inhabitants to remove from Woodbridge he removed with his family to Cumberland County where he remained till Spring or Summer when he returned to his residence. The British had by this time evacuated New Jersey and the inhabitants were safe in their habitations.
He recollects that about the break of day in the morning as he was standing guard upon the shore near Amboy he heard the report of Artillery in the direction of Elizabeth town at which place was expecting an attack from the Hessian General Kniphausen, he immediately hastened to his house for some refreshment and then made his way for Elizabeth town. The inhabitants of the country having all been called there the day before in anticipation of the attack but as it was his turn that night to guard the shore he had been detained by that service. He arrived at Elizabeth town at about ten o'clock in the morning a distance of thirteen miles from Amboy. When he arrived the battle had ceased and the American troops had commenced their march to return to Springfield where the battle commenced. There was a great scarcity of provisions amongst the troops and they were in extreme suffering from hunger, he immediately returned

learned and procured a wagon load of provisions which he obtained from the charity of the neighborhood and returned to the Army, with it the next day by nine or ten o'clock in the morning - He cannot recollect what year or what month in the year this took place but he recollects all the circumstances of the transaction, with perfect
He could relate many other circumstances connected with his service but is advised that the relation is unnecessary. It would be impossible for him to state with any accuracy the length of time in the aggregate that he was in the service. From the commencement to the termination of the war he stood as a minute man and always turned out at every call, the aggregate of his services must have greatly exceeded two years the time required for a full pension - He resided in New Jersey till about twenty seven years ago when he removed to the City of New York where he lived one year, at the end of which he removed to the town of Richfield in Otsego County where he now resides. He never at any time received a written discharge from the service.
He has no record of his age in his possession, the time of his birth is entered in the Family register which was kept by his father and which he has often seen and which is now in the hands of his brother in New Jersey.
He knows of no person now living by whom he can prove his services or any part thereof. He hereby relinquishes all claim to a pension except the present  for any documentary proofs of the same - He declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. He never served as a substitute for any other person nor can he define his services more particularly than as present.
Sworn to & subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid Israel Greenard Deborah Lathrop Clerk.

State of New York
Otsego County ss We William B. Curtis a clergyman residing in the town of Richfield in said County and Matthewson Eddy of the same place hereby certify that we are and have been well acquainted with Israel Freeman who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration for several years that he has been esteemed a man of truth and veracity that we believe him to be eighty eight years old that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion - Wm B Curtis
Sworn & subscribed this 15 th day of October
Matthewson Eddy
1832.
Horace Lathrop Clerk.
And the said Court hereby declare their opinion that the said Israel Freeman after an investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, was a soldier of the revolution & no other than as he states and the said Court further certify that it appears to them that Wm B. Curtis & Matthewson Eddy who have signed the preceding certificate are residents of Richfield in said County that the said Wm B. Curtis is a clergyman of Jesus Town that they are credible persons & their statement is entitled to credit
J. O. Moon } Judges J. L. Mansworth } J. Page - }
Thompson

State of New York Otsego County ss: 3 I Horace Lathrop Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the said County of Otsego, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of Patrick Freeman for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 19 th day of October 1882, Horace Lathrop. Clerk.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
3776
P. O.
Israel Freeman
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. Contract.

16. 249.
Israel Freeman
✓
Angel

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Israel Freeman Israel Freeman further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? to * The act embraces actual service only - see note VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Team service in Militia not allowed * VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? No yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes
He states that he cannot specify the exact time but that it certainly exceeded two years. W. G. Knight
* He states that he served under Captain Matthew Freeman. His team service was only for a short period.

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? yes
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1.
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension.

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

Rev.
Act 7. June 1832
Isaac Freeman
Suspended
See letter to
W. G. Angel Cooperstown N. Y. 15 Oct. 1833

Hon. Lewis of Clinton of Mo. Washington
3776

Coopersstown April 9. 1833.
Sir
I herewith return the pension papers of Israel Freeman of Richfield, Otsego Co. N.Y.
The first objection to its allowance is in answer to the Negative to question No. 5. - that he has not mentioned with precision the time of his service.
It is my earnest request that you would re-examine the papers in person. You will find that he states he served during nearly the whole time that the war continued, but he cannot recollect the precise periods, & adds that the time in the aggregate greatly exceeded two years - I apprehend this is sufficient in all cases to be so considered . upon a review of the
papers. The second objection noted is, that service in the Militia cannot be allowed.
If this be a good objection, its application in this case ought not to defeat the application only pro tanto for the only term of service for which he claims is but about one month, after this he was impressed with his team by order of Genl. Washington.
The third objection in answer to question No. 7 is obvious as you will perceive by referring to the application. The fourth & only remaining objection in answer to question No. 11 is also obvious by a due authentication of the papers.
I make the above request that you would examine the application in person if practicable or cause it to be done. I believe it to be a highly meritorious one & that he is certainly entitled to a pension according to the spirit & letter of the act.
And this particular case being stated at the time

of passing the act & the members asked if they intended to provide for such cases by the passage of the act I am sure every one would have answered in the affirmative -
If this appropriation be correct how can it be refused to give effect to the intention of the makers of the law - to reject the act would be a violation of a long established & well settled rule of construction.
I cannot but believe the two final objections will be abandoned after a careful review of the act -
The application to my personal knowledge is a sorry old man. There is no doubt but he was one of the sternest & most perfect patriots of the Revolution - he served the country long & faithfully & to a negative whilst others who performed far less service or allowed mostly broken the old man's heart - I have come to request the honorable consideration of his case & if possible that his pension might be extended - He is an intelligent old man of upright feeling. His disappointment quite overcomes him. He states, & on my honor I believe him that his services & his patriotism were never doubted or undervalued before. There cannot be a single doubt as to the truth of his statement in regard to the actual performance of his services - He is proverbial for his integrity & no man knowing him would question for a single moment his veracity upon any point - Most Respectfully
Yr Obedt Servt
W G Angelo
Hon. Mr. Cope